novelxo Chapter 42
Chapter 42 Notorious
Seeing the surprised look on Chandler’s face, Francesca could not help but feel sarcastic. Do the Beckmans really think I’m that stupid? Do they think I can’t see through their obvious little tricks?
In the past, she would endure in silence, but now, she felt she should not be wasting time dealing with them anymore.
“Instead of getting the cold shoulder from me, why don’t you go find that person who can actually help you out?” Francesca said casually. “Oh, by the way, she hasn’t been feeling well lately and is staying in the hospital. When you go visit, remember to bring her some fruits.”
With a solemn expression, Chandler fixed his gaze on Francesca and remarked, “It’s been a few years, and it appears you’ve come a long way.”
If he had not seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed that his timid and compliant foster daughter had undergone such a
remarkable transformation. He should have anticipated the repercussions when she manipulated him into signing the IOU the last time..
“Let’s go,” Chandler said coldly to Karen beside him.
Karen was taken aback and exclaimed in surprise, “Are we really going to let her go just like that?”
Chandler sneered mockingly, “Do you think creating a scene will help? She not only holds the IOU but also has dirt on you.”
He had come to the realization that he stumbled this time because he had underestimated his daughter in the past. But it’s okay. We still have a long way to go.
After Chandler and Karen left, Francesca went into the ice cream store and
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brought the two children out.
At first, Francesca thought they would be scared, but to her surprise, Luna, in excitement, exclaimed, “Mom, you’re amazing! You defeated the bad guys with just a few words! I decide to award you the title Supertalker!”
Francesca’s lips twitched slightly. Although the name sounded unpleasant, she was relieved that they were not terrified.
After Chandler and Karen left, they went to the hospital and found Elsa.
“What are you doing here?” Elsa exclaimed, her eyes darting anxiously around the room. The last thing she wanted was for Colton to discover her connection to the Beckman family. It could spell disaster for all of them.
Seeing the flustered look on her face, Chandler breathed a sigh of relief. He finally found her Achilles‘ heel.
Half an hour later, Chandler and Karen left with satisfaction, leaving Elsa behind with a gloomy expression on her face.
She had never anticipated that the Beckman family, whom she had considered mere pawns, would have the audacity to retaliate against her. It’s all Francesca’s fault! If she hadn’t returned to the country out of the blue, I wouldn’t be facing obstacles at every turn. Now, even the Beckman family is threatening me!
Elsa looked at the phone beside the hospital bed, and suddenly, an idea popped into her mind.
As they left the hospital, Karen maintained a silent demeanor throughout the journey. Chandler interpreted her silence as contemplation over Francesca’s situation and spoke with a frown. “If you can’t handle Francesca, just leave her be. If I end up bankrupt because of you, you better be prepared for the consequences.”
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Karen glared at him with annoyance. “What nonsense are you talking about? I was just wondering, when we went to look for Francesca earlier, were the two children with her? Where did those kids come from?”
Chandler did not pay much attention to it. “Maybe it’s just her friend’s child? It’s been five years since her divorce, so how could she have kids that age? Besides, considering the Zabielski family’s status, they wouldn’t. allow a divorced woman to bring two kids into their family, right?”
Meanwhile, after sending the two children home, Francesca went to the
company.
To her surprise, she unexpectedly ran into Colton. With a hint of annoyance in her voice, she questioned him. “Colton Zeller, what do you want from me?”
Chandler and Karen’s unexpected appearance had indeed disrupted her composure, and even when she saw Colton, she could not maintain her usual calm demeanor.
Despite her efforts to sever ties with her past for the past five years, these people continued to resurface one by one, disrupting her emotional state.
Colton’s gaze remained fixed on Francesca, his silence filling the room with tension. Breaking the awkward silence, Duncan, the manager standing nearby, stuttered, “Ms. Shelley, M–Mr. Zeller is here today to discuss the design proposal with us…”
Francesca’s face stiffened for a moment, and then she apologized, “I’m sorry. I’ve made a mistake.”
Instead of responding to her aggressive remark, Colton said, “Ms. Shelley, If you feel bad for your behavior just now, you should just go with our design plan.”
“No way.” Francesca quickly adjusted her emotions and decisively rejected
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his proposal. “Mr. Zeller, I think you’re aware that our design plan this time was created by Angel, the winner of the last design gold award. I must say both her design concept and the final result are impeccable.”
The Fashn Group and the Zeller Group were on the verge of collaborating on a project involving a piece of land in the southern part of the city. The plan was to develop the area into a luxurious residential area with an adjoining holiday resort. Since it would be a joint venture, having control over the design plan would give one party a significant advantage.
Both Colton and Francesca were determined individuals who would not easily back down when it came to this project.
Colton calmly uttered, “Although Angel’s design is quite ingenious, it still lacks some fame. Prof. Wallund, whom we have invited, is a well–known master in the architectural industry. His expertise will be more beneficial to the development of the project.”
“Prof. Wallund’s design is overly intricate. Do you really think we should go with that, Mr. Zeller?” Francesca questioned, heightening the tension. between them.
Duncan, who was standing nearby, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. and quickly tried to defuse the tension. “Let’s sit down and talk nicely, shall we?”
At that moment, Marcus suddenly approached with a serious expression on his face and whispered to Francesca, “Ms. Shelley, there’s something I want to show you.”
As he spoke, he showed Francesca his phone.
She then saw an article titled: Unveiling Francesca Beckman: A Well–Behaved Lady or a Flirtatious Social Butterfly?
The article not only cunningly blurred the boundaries between reality and
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fabrication, depicting Francesca as an insatiable seductress who shamelessly charmed her way through numerous men, but also accompanied it with a collection of strategically captured photos. Each image showcased a different man, even featuring one with Colton from their past.
Even though Francesca was not a celebrity or socialite, the topic
unexpectedly topped the trending topics, sparking heated discussions.
Francesca’s face darkened.
What she detested most was not the lies fabricated by those individuals, but rather their consistent use of reputation–shaming tactics to target women, diminishing their hard work to mere transactions.
“Find the mastermind behind this. At the same time, file a lawsuit against Twitter, the account owner, and all users who have reposted more than five hundred times. We’ll not accept mediation,” Francesca said calmly, looking at Marcus as she gave her instructions.
Marcus was taken aback for a moment. He knew that Francesca would fight back but did not think she would go all out.
want everyone who thinks they can defeat a woman with this method to know the true meaning of stupidity,” Francesca said, enunciating every word with determination.
Her gaze shifted to Colton. “Do you agree with me, Mr. Zeller?”
This morning, she had just told Chandler and Karen to search for Elsa, and shortly after, the article was exposed. It was hard for her to believe. that this incident had nothing to do with Elsa.
Colton grasped the underlying message in Francesca’s words, his eyes growing deep and serious as he responded, “Absolutely.”
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Francesca’s lips curled into a sarcastic smirk as she remained silent.